Outplayed
by DYquem
Summary: Kadowaki, Waya, Akira and even Touya Kouyo start comparing notes and Akira outplays Hikaru for information; The other pros start to realize just how outclassed they are by Akira and Hikaru.
1. Comparing Notes

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe. I definitely don't make any money from this fic.

This will have about 3 or possibly 4 chapters in it, depending on whether I add a couple of side conversations in here or in another fic.

Please review (she begs)

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Waya headed across the open foyer in the Go Institute and joined Kadowaki at one of the tables. Even though he was significantly older than the rest of the group, Kadowaki had sort of become attached to the general group since he passed the pro exam with Isumi and Honda.

"Hi Kadowaki-san. What'cha doing?"

"I'm just studying this kifu. I keep going over this one a lot." Kadowaki passed it on to Waya to take a look. It was a computer printout of a kifu. Waya studied it for a while, and then started concentrating on it harder. He frowned, set it down and ran his finger across some of the shapes.

"Black crushed white. This looks like black was Sai. I've never seen this kifu and I thought I'd seen every kifu existing that involved Sai. Where did you get it?"

Kadowaki gave him a strange look and then said "I printed it off my computer. What makes you think the kifu is one of Sai's games."

Waya just looked at him. "I've studied every one of his games, at least every one I knew about. This really looks like Sai played black. His forms are pretty unmistakeable. Wow, I didn't realize I missed one of them. Who played white?"

"I did."

"You got to play a game with Sai? I did that once. Isn't it awesome? He can crush anyone. He even beat Touya Meijin." Waya was enthusiastic. Kadowaki just looked at him. Akira came up to the table.

"Kadowaki-san, please excuse the interruption. I need to ask you a question about the convention scheduling for this Saturday," Akira began. He took an automatic look at the kifu Kadowaki and Waya were looking at and then took a closer look. "Where did you get this?" He asked.

"Kadowaki played Sai. I didn't know that. You should have told us sooner. I study all of his kifu." Waya and Touya continued to look at it.

"The shapes and strength of his Go is unmistakeable. This is definitely Sai," Akira said after tracing some of the shapes.

"I agree. Could I get a copy of this, Kadowaki-san?" Waya asked. He and Akira continued to study the kifu. Sai was probably the only matter which would get Waya and Akira studying at the same table.

"You can have that one. I can print out another copy. Let me ask you two something: why are you both convinced this is Sai?"

Waya and Touya looked at each other. "No one else could have done this. No one else comes up with shapes and games like this. Look at this attack here and that stone he placed there. It looks odd but is perfectly placed to attach 10 moves later. That is classic Sai," Akira said. Waya nodded in agreement.

"There is only one problem," Kadowaki said. "I didn't play this game on the internet. I played it in person."

"NO WAY! In person? What did he look like? Was it a woman?" Waya was really excited. Akira said nothing but looked just as excited as Waya.

"No, I played this game against Shindou-kun." Dead silence met this remark.

"Are you sure?" Waya asked cautiously?

"Of course I'm sure. This game is the reason I didn't take the pro exam in the year you and Shindou-kun passed. I lost so badly against a young insei kid I knew I needed to study up for the next year. I went home and entered it immediately into a computer kifu records system I have on my computer. Shindou-kun played this game. I even asked him how long he'd been playing and he gave me this cheeky grin and said '1,000 years.'"

"Have you ever played Shindou again?" Akira asked.

"Yes. We played the day of Isumi-kun's shinshodan match. He said the game was problematical for him because I would be comparing him to a year and a half ago. He was right. It was odd but he played better in this game than he did in the recent one." Everyone digested that for a moment. "Well, I don't understand it and I don't hope to understand it, but I'm late for a meeting. Frankly, I have enough to worry about with my own career without trying to figure out some old mystery. See you later," Kadowaki said before leaving. He left a well of silence as Waya and Touya looked at each other and then studied the kifu again.

"Shindou played this game, but this is definitely Sai's go. I would swear it was his go." Waya said. As he said that, Ochi came up and wanted to talk about the convention planned for the weekend. Touya and Waya barely glanced at him and neither one of them answered his question. They just kept studying the kifu and tracing the shapes with a finger.

"This is phenomenal. This is Shindou's game? This is beyond the level of a pro," Waya said. "This is… this is Sai's level of game."

"I agree," was all Akira said.

Ochi had not had a good day. He had lost his match and he was angry. "Shindou! Shindou! He's not that great. It's always Shindou as though he was the second coming of Shuusaku," Ochi said bitterly. "Wait! I know. Lo and behold, Shindou touched the goban and out of it sprang the ghost of Shuusaku who appeared before him and said 'yea verily, Hikaru, I will smite thee and make thee a brilliant Go player.' And it was done. YEAH, Right!"

"Ochi, you jealous ass," Waya exclaimed. Ochi glared at him, turned and saw Touya Kouyo approaching the group. He was obviously close enough to have heard every word. Ochi went beet red, bowed to Touya Sensei, apologized to him for his outburst and took off. Touya, Waya and Touya Kouyo watched him go.

Waya immediately stood to attention and bowed deeply. "Good afternoon, Touya-sensei. I apologize, Touya-sensei, for my loud voice," he said very meekly.

"What are you doing?"

"We are looking at a kifu, father."

"May I see it?

"Of course, Touya sensei," Waya said as he handed over the Kifu.

Touya Kouyo studied the kifu in silence for a minute or two. "Who are the two players?"

Akira answered his question. "Kadowaki-san was white and Shindou was black. This game was played about a year and a half ago. But this looks just like the game was played by Sai. Both Waya-san and I thought it was a kifu of Sai's before Kadowaki-san said he played this in person against Shindou." Touya Kouyo just nodded.

"Was this an official match?"

"No, sir," Waya said. "Kadowaki-san told me he walked into the Go Institute before the pro exam Shindou and I entered. He had planned to take the exam that year. He wanted to warm up, saw Shindou and thought a young kid like him would make good light exercise. He played him in a friendly game. This was the result. He was crushed. Kadowaki-san said he lost so badly to a young insei he decided to skip the exam and study up and take it the next year. Then he went home to recreate the game and study it. This looks just like Sai played this game. This is Sai. I have studied every kifu we have for him. I would swear it was his Go. Shindou has a different Go even though it has similarities. But Kadowaki-san says he played this face to face with Shindou. It wasn't over the internet. So it makes no sense. Shindou's really good but this is a totally different level from anyone. Why would Shindou play like he usually does if he really is Sai and he could play like this all the time?"

Touya Kouyo just looked at him. "May I keep this?"

"Umm, yes, but it belongs to Kadowaki-san."

"I will return it to him."

"That's not necessary, sensei. Kadowaki-san said he could just print out another copy. Umm, I'd better be going".

"Tell me something, Waya-san; you play go, do you not?"

It sounded like a trick question to Waya. "Yes, I play Go," he said cautiously.

"You play Go. Would it please you to have Moreshita or I stand behind you to play for you or to tell you the best moves during a tournament? You would win easily against any of the lower dan players."

Waya looked shocked. "Of course not, Touya sensei. That would be cheating. It would be your win. It has to be my fight and I have to show the strength of my Go. It must be my win."

Touya Kouyo smiled. "Then you have answered your own question as to why Shindou's Go does not look like this during an official match, have you not?"

Waya was silent for a long moment while he thought that one over, then he looked up at Touya sensei and just shook his head. "It's very confusing. Please excuse me." He bowed.

"Waya-san?"

"Yes, sensei?"

"I would consider it a favor if you did not mention this kifu to anyone else."

Waya's eyes widened. "Yes, sensei!" Waya bowed again and rushed off.

Father and son looked at each other and then at the kifu.

"Father, is it possible that Ochi 3-dan is more correct than he realizes? I know he said it out of bitterness, but…" Akira trailed off.

"Sai is not Shindou. Of that I am certain."

"Are there truly two Shindou? There must be. I do not understand. He said he would tell me someday, but he just yells at me if I bring it up."

"I have promised Shindou 2-dan not to pry. However, I do not believe there are two Shindou. Shindou-kun is himself. He told me he was not Sai and I have no reason to doubt him. Sai is someone or something else. There has been no sign of Sai playing for over a year and a half. I would like to play him again."

"I want to play him again, too." Akira said.

"That is also my wish. I retired to seek stronger players. There are strong players in the world. To have a game such as the one I had with Sai is to strive for the hand of god. I do not believe we will see him on this plane again. There is only Shindou-kun for you to play."

"It was good to play Sai once. I may have played him twice when I first met Shindou."

"I have played him twice."

Akira looked startled. "When was the first time?"

"During the Shinshodan match. I do not think Shindou-kun played that game. At the time I did not understand why a shodan would handicap himself so badly, but I felt the intensity in the Go and the presence of the handicap. It was the same intensity I felt when I played Sai over the internet. The handicap was made to hide the ability of my opponent so observers would only see a shodan."

"After the game Kuwabara Honinbou also said Shindou handicapped himself in the game. I didn't know what to think at the time. Then who is Sai if he isn't Shindou?"

"Perhaps he really is the spirit of Shuusaku. Does it matter? Shindou wants his privacy on it and I promised not to seek the real identity of Sai. Whoever he is, I am convinced Shindou himself did not play his shinshodan match."


	2. A Perfect Hand

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe. I definitely don't make any money from this fic.

Akira and Hikaru were at their usual table in the go salon, bent over some kifu and playing out the game on the goban. It was about two weeks since Akira had seen Kadowacki's kifu and for once there were not a lot of patrons gathered around listening to their discussion. The people who were in the salon were busy playing their own games.

"Look at this shape. It's terrible. Then he fell apart here. He must have been completely overcome by nerves," Hikaru pointed out. What a waste of time. Why did Akira want to review these kifu.

"That's true," Akira agreed. "Ichiryu-sensei certainly didn't go easy on him. Usually the high dans play a little more gently against the Shodan in their Shinsodan match."

"He was probably still angry from having lost to you in the Honinbou League last month. Still, how could Ishikawa shodan have let it get this far out of hand? If he'd played here…" Hikaru pointed out a spot.

"Then Ichiryu-sensei would just have gone here and attached there a play later," Akira added. "Even in a slump Ichiryu-sensei couldn't have missed that position."

"Hmm, this kifu is a waste of our time. Why are we bothering to study the kifu from these new pro Shinshodan matches anyway? This one is really bad and the other two aren't that great. No one covered himself with any glory. What were you thinking when you brought them here. There is nothing to be learned from them except how **not** to play a Shinshodan match."

"This from the guy who didn't even play his _own_ Shinshodan match?"

"I know. That really bites. I had so looked forward to it, too." Hikaru froze and looked up at Akira. Akira was wearing his battle eyes and had a satisfied smile on his face as though he had just laid a perfect hand. 'That was so easy,' Akira thought. 'All I had to do was get him on the subject and get him arguing. Shindou's mouth does the rest. These kifu made a perfect excuse.' Akira held up his hand to stop the obvious denials which were about to come out of Hikaru's mouth.

"Shindou, please, you do not have to explain but at least tell me this. Will anyone ever play Sai again?"

Hikaru sighed, dropped his head and then looked at Akira with sad eyes that held a trace of tears. "No, I don't think anyone in this life will ever play Sai again." Akira just nodded. Hikaru was silent with his fist on his thigh. Akira didn't say anything. He just waited. Hikaru sighed again.

"Sai, he was the…" Suddenly Kitajima-san slapped Hikaru on the back.

"So here you are again you little beginner dan, trying to get learning from Touya-sensei. You little weakling shouldn't keep arguing with sensei when he tries to give you the benefit of his experience and brilliance. You couldn't begin to understand the quality of teacher and training that Touya-sensei went through."

Hikaru went stiff and silent and Akira was suddenly enraged. He had been SO close. Without warning he leapt up and confronted Kitajima-san with the full brunt of his disappointment. "Shut up! You are always insulting Shindou. Who are you to insult him? You're an old man who is too weak to possibly understand the strength of Shindou's go. I'm stronger than he is right now, but I study and fight tooth and nail to stay ahead of him. You have no idea what he knows or what training he went through. What right do you have to call him weak?"

The entire Salon watched in shock as Akira stormed out of the building. Then they all turned to look at Hikaru, who looked just as shocked as anyone. Kitajima looked as though he had just been hit by a truck at top speed. Akira-kun sure has changed more than a bit since Hikaru-kun started coming around, Ichikawa thought. The room was silent for a good minute or more.

"Umm, Kitajima-san? It's o.k. I'm sure Touya will apologize to you tomorrow." Then he slowly walked over to Ichikawa's counter. "I guess we're through for the day. May I please have my pack?" He walked silently out the door. Everyone in the salon watched him go and then Ichikawa turned to Kitajima.

"Why do you constantly put Hikaru-kun down? The poor kid's only 16 years old and he comes in here to face constant insults from a man old enough to be his grandfather. He's an excellent go pro. We all know it. Akira-kun knows it and finally defended his friend," she said. That surprised Kitajima-san.

"Do you really think they are friends?"

"Of _**–course-**_ they are friends. Are you so old you can't remember what it was like when you were a teenager? I've got a couple of brothers only a few years older than those two. They'll fight and argue and scream and yell at each other, but let someone else insult the other one, and the two will proverbially stand together back to back to defend the pack. Do you truly not remember getting into fights with your buddies in grade school? Wasn't it always over stupid petty garbage? It didn't mean they weren't your buddies, did it? What if someone from the next school insulted your friend? He got smacked down quick enough, didn't he?" Ichikawa was a lot younger than Kitajima but she had had more than enough of listening to his 'fanaticism on the subject of the go-messiah, Akira-sensei.' It was starting to creep her out a little bit, if she was honest and she had thought she was second to none in her admiration for Akira-kun's go skills. Kitajima was beyond 'enough is enough.' She was also worried that Hikaru-kun would get so fed up with the harassment he would stop coming to visit Akira-kun and that would be really unfortunate. She thought Hikaru-kun was good for Akira-kun. He got him to act a little more childish sometimes, instead of always acting like a carefully controlled adult.

Out on the street Hikaru walked slowly towards the station to put up the train to go home. He came across Akira walking slowly back towards the salon. They just looked at each other. Hikaru made a face.

"Wow, Touya, that's a new attitude for you." He had never heard Akira raise his voice to anyone but himself and even that was only when they were arguing about hands and shapes over a goban.

Akira sighed. "I lost my temper."

Hikaru laughed. "I didn't think you had a temper with anyone but me.

Akira was embarrassed. He had never lost control of himself like that before. He had just been so disappointed when it seemed Hikaru was about to finally tell him the mystery behind Sai and Kitajima had to come in and interrupt the whole thing. Akira had truly had been getting annoyed with Kitajima even before this happened. He just didn't understand why he kept insulting Hikaru. It was almost like a blind spot with him, as though he had to insult Hikaru to convince himself he was nothing and no threat to Akira himself. Then of course Hikaru couldn't just ignore Kitajima and rise above the insult. He wouldn't be Hikaru if he did. He had to respond and escalate the situation. Didn't Kitajima understand that even though Touya was the better player of the two of them, Hikaru was head and shoulders above the other pros his own age and better than any of the lower dans except for Touya himself? It just didn't make sense for Kitajima to have this driving need to insult Hikaru as though he was nothing. Touya didn't understand it but then Kitajima truly was not the world's best go player, even for an amateur his age. Akira liked having someone his own age to debate with even though Hikaru's opinions sometimes drove him crazy.

Unfortunately, however, Akira knew that Kitajima was older and he had been wrong to yell at him. He had been raised to respect his elders. "I will have to apologize to Kitajima-san." He grimaced.

"That's o.k. I told him you would probably apologize to him tomorrow," Hikaru said. Akira nodded in agreement. He really didn't want to return to the salon tonight and it was only his deeply ingrained manners which made him head back there. Tomorrow would be soon enough.

"Hey, how about some ice cream?" Hikaru asked.

"It is almost time for dinner." Ice cream really did sound good to Akira but it was getting late.

"Yeah, but after the afternoon we've both had we deserve it." The two boys bought their ice cream and were silent while they started eating it. They walked over to a bench in a small nearby park area and sat down. They ate in silence for a few minutes. Akira just waited. He was hoping Hikaru might bring up Sai again if he was patient. Hikaru sighed and studied the ground.

"I miss him every day," he finally said slowly. "Not a day goes by that I don't want to ask him something, or tell him something or play go with him; not one single day."

"Sai," Akira said. It was a statement and not a question.

Hikaru just nodded his head. "Not one single day."

"You don't have to tell me, but my mother says it helps to share things." Akira said quietly.

"You'll think I'm a lunatic," Hikaru said. Akira laughed softly.

"I've done battle with you over a goban. Do you really think I could ever think you're a lunatic?" Akira asked. Hikaru shrugged his shoulders. Akira decided to prod him. "Is Sai the ghost of Shuusaku?" Akira continued. Hikaru just stared at him, then sighed and finally said,

"Sort of; Sai was the ghost who played all of Torajiro's games. He was _**Shuusaku**_ but he wasn't _**Torajiro**_."

"Just as he was you before you started learning go for yourself." All the little pieces were starting to fall into place.

Hikaru nodded and started talking. The ice creams were long gone and the sky grew dark as two boys sat on a park bench. One talked and one listened. Hikaru realized that something tight inside him he hadn't even realized was still there started to unwind and relax. Akira's mother was right. It was good to share with someone.

--

--

I didn't go into any details on Hikaru's initial conversation with Akira since we all know the story ourselves and I thought it might be boring. There will be two more short chapters to this which will be conversations between Akira and Hikaru after he tells him about Sai. They both play into the theme of "Outplayed." I just wanted to end this chapter with the warm and fuzzy bonding conversation.

I have always felt that Hikaru was being overly paranoid about keeping Sai a secret. It is frequently that way in anime. "The secret must be kept at all costs." Once Sai left, and even really before he left, there was no major need to keep it such a deep dark secret. I have never felt the excuse of "you'll think I'm a liar or crazy" played well. His friends might not totally believe him at first, but most people in the world are at least a tiny bit open to the idea of ghosts or spirits, and the answer truly explains the otherwise inexplicable. Besides, Hikaru could always take the attitude "the heck with him if he doesn't believe me. I tried."

On a related thought, I am also utterly convinced in the canon universe Touya Kouya has the basics of the truth by the end of the manga. There are at least two panels showing him in seiza in front of an empty goban with his opening move on the board. Waiting for Sai, are we? Sorry Kouya, not happening. He may not know the mechanics, but he realized the presence in front of him at the shinshodan was the same as the presence on the internet. Everyone talked about how Sai's joseki improved from incredibly strong but antique Shuusaku to modern and incredibly powerful. His go evolved as he learned the modern techniques. Then there was the conversation between Yan Hai and Kouya about how a spirit would only be able to play go on the internet. Kouya's face in the next panel shows a reaction. It hit a nerve when Yan Hai said "only play go on the internet." Like I said, he may not know the mechanics or whether Sai was definitely Shuusaku, but he pretty much has figured out the truth.

I really like Yan Hai. He's my favorite of the side characters.


	3. He sat where?

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe.

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Akira and Hikaru were sitting on the park bench again eating ice cream. Akira reflected somewhat humorously that his ice cream consumption had tripled since he first learned about Sai. By an unspoken agreement, they didn't discuss Sai when they were in the Go Institute or the Go salon and could be over heard by someone. The man at the ice cream store was certainly happy. 'It's a good thing I'm naturally thin,' Akira thought.

Hikaru and Akira tried to meet at Hikaru's house occasionally, but it was a bit awkward. Akira was so naturally graceful and formal that he seemed out of place in Hikaru's normal kid's room. Also, Hikaru's mother didn't seem to know how to react to Akira. He was so formal and polite with adults she couldn't understand the yelling and fights that issued once they started to debate shapes and tactics over the goban. She always blamed Hikaru, even when he tried to defend himself and say 'hey, Akira started it this time.' That never went over well as an excuse. It was a learning experience for her. She always offered Akira dinner, however, if the timing was appropriate, and Akira did stay for dinner occasionally.

For his part, Akira found the Shindou household totally different from what he was used to at home. While both mothers seemed supportive, Hikaru's mother maintained a more modern household and meals and snacks were less formal. It was different. Not bad, he thought, just different. Hikaru's mother didn't know the first thing about go and as far as Akira could tell, she really didn't want to know anything about it. He got the impression she was confused by this **_thing_** which had taken over her son and turned him from a child into a young man with responsibilities at such an early age.

At first she thought nothing of walking into Hikaru's bedroom with snacks but without knocking when he had a guest and there had been some hastily stopped conversations. Hikaru did get his mother to understand that as a professional go player and a 16 year old, she should definitely knock before entering his room. At least they could discuss Sai there without a concern someone from the go world might overhear them. Today, however, they were back on the park bench eating more ice cream.

"He sat in the chair?" Akira asked.

"That's what I've been saying. It's why I looked like an idiot. Sai sat in the chair the moment we walked into the room to start the Shinshodan match. He just rushed past me, sat down and stared at your father with this serious expression like he was going into battle. He said 'he wanted to try out the chair.' Really it was because he desperately wanted to face your father. He wouldn't move for the longest time and when he did he practically cried. It was awful. The reporter was talking to me. Everyone was trying to figure out why I wasn't moving. I suppose I could have sat on top of him but I just didn't do that kind of thing.

"Then he finally moved and I sat down and he kept begging to play your father. I could feel his depression. When Sai was sad or depressed he could quite literally make me physically ill. I guess it was part of his being in the consciousness or something. At any rate, at the Shinshodan match I kept saying no until he finally drove me nuts and I said he'd have to play with something like a 15 moku handicap. He immediately turned around and accepted the game. So I didn't know what to do. I was kind of stuck.

"15 moku? He played with a 15 moku handicap? No wonder it looked like a mess."

"Yeah, that's why it took 20 minutes for him to place the first hand. He had to lay out the strategy in his mind. It was really bad. We had one of our rare fights over it later, or maybe it was just me mad at Sai. He never really seemed to get mad at me although for an adult, he could be incredibly whiney and childish sometimes.

"The battle with your father wasn't satisfying for Sai because the handicap had been so huge there was little he could do. I was unhappy I didn't get to play my Shinshodan match. That was an important game for me. Plus the game made me look like the world's biggest go idiot. Maybe if I'd let him play with a 9 moku handicap it would have looked alright. It was not good all around. The weirdest thing though was your father figured it out. How could he have done that? You could have knocked me over with a feather. I was so shocked I couldn't even move when he said 'Next time, I would like to play you in an even game.' Whoa. How did he know about the handicap?"

"I don't know but Kuwabara Honinbou recognized it also. It must be the experience they have. They have been playing go for 2 or 3 times longer than you and I have been alive" Akira suggested.

"He did?" Now that was a scary thought, thought Hikaru.

"Yes. He waited until everyone else had left and wondered out loud to me why you would do such a thing."

"He's creepy. I remember now he gave me a strange look when I was an insei and Sai was still around. He walked out of the elevator and then turned around and eyed me for a bit. I could swear he looked at Sai as well. It's hard to tell with him only having the one eye. It was creepy and kind of freaked me out. Sai looked solemn about it too. I didn't know who he was but all the other insei stood at attention and bowed."

"Maybe he could sense Sai," suggested Akira.

"You think so?" answered Hikaru.

"It's possible. There are lots of people in the world who claim they can see ghosts or at least sense them. Some of them probably really can do it. There must be others who can sense them but don't tell anyone about it. My father and Kuwabara sensei are known for their intuition during a match. My father knew something was going on with your Shinshodan match. He told me superficially it looked like a mess but he could tell there was deep meaning behind the moves. He sensed a strong presence and then said he sensed the same thing during the internet match with Sai."

"Scary," said Hikaru. Akira nodded in agreement.


	4. A Game Analysis

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe. I definitely don't make any money from this fic.

= - = - =

Akira and Hikaru were at Hikaru's house replaying an old game Hikaru and Sai had played. Since Akira started coming over Hikaru had invested in two nice cushions for the floor. That was the only significant change in his room. They found it usually only made sense to replay the games played after Hikaru became an insei. With the ones prior to that Hikaru really couldn't play up to a high enough level to keep up with Sai even a little bit and they were not as helpful to them. Both of them were frustrated when they tried to review the younger Hikaru's level of game. Akira would occasionally make references to that old middle school tournament match.

"Hey, give me a break, Touya. I'd been playing for something like 6 months when I'd played in that middle school game. Of course I was still lousy," Hikaru told him with a grin on his face.

"I wanted to play Sai, not you. I just didn't realize it," Akira responded. Hikaru laughed.

"Yeah, and I wanted to play you so I hijacked the game part way through. You were real angry about that, weren't you? That's exactly why I said if you fixated on my ghost, I'd catch up to you."

"I worked so hard to get ready for that game so I was very angry and also really confused when we actually played it. It certainly explains why the first part of the game seemed so good and then it totally fell apart. It fell apart when you took over and stopped letting Sai play. You know, it seems to me the only time I've ever gotten really mad was when you were involved. Hmm, it says something, doesn't it?" Akira pointed out.

"Akari says I'm good at getting people to lose their temper. It must be a talent of mine. I remember some of the things I said to her when I was twelve and it's a wonder she even speaks to me today. Frankly, it's a wonder she didn't kill me. I was a horror to her." The two boys laughed and continued reviewing the game they were studying.

At first Hikaru would recreate the entire game between him and Sai on the goban and then Hikaru and Akira got in the habit of playing it forward from about the mid game point. They tried to figure out ways Hikaru could have won. It was difficult especially since Hikaru knew Sai would have changed his hands to match their attempts. Part of what they did was to create a lot of kifu of the more recent games and then study Sai's ways. Hikaru had purchased a computer with some of his earnings and got an electronic kifu system program to use with it. Akira was astonished at the level of game Sai played as he got used to modern joseki.

"He truly was brilliant. I can see why he is considered the best player ever. His methods from the end of the internet matches were better than the beginning ones and that was only during the two month period of summer vacation. In that short amount of time he seems to have picked up and incorporated modern techniques and become even more powerful than before."

"He certainly was, and every bit of that power was directed against me every single game."

"Didn't he play teaching games against you?"

"Not really. He played teaching games with anyone and everyone including you and Akari, but no, Hikaru never got any teaching game, at least not after I'd really started to learn the game. He always seemed to go full force against me. Actually, that's why I kept losing when I first became an insei. Subconsciously, I expected everyone to attack with the same force Sai used and so I developed a habit of attacking tentatively myself." Hikaru grimaced.

"In other words, you didn't stick your head out very far because you expected it to get lopped off," Akira said.

"Exactly. I didn't realize it of course, but Sai figured it out. Every time I went out to attack on the goban a part of me expected to get sliced and diced with the power of Shuusaku's sword. Even after he figured out the problem he still went at me full force. He just kept doing it until I finally managed to ignore the fear and attack back using full force. It was actually pretty cool the first time I did it. It felt good."

"Did it work?"

"No," Hikaru sighed. "Sai just did something else brilliant and unexpected and sliced me in two."

"Well that certainly explains why you are fearless now on the goban. I was crushed after losing to him twice. That second game was especially shocking. I can't imagine getting defeated like that every night."

"It certainly taught me to accept defeat."

"Oh, yes, you accept defeat SO well," Akira said sarcastically.

"I hate losing," Hikaru agreed. "But so do you. You were really upset when you lost that second game against Sai all those years ago."

"I certainly was. He crushed me. No one but my father had ever been able to do such a thing," Akira said.

"Sai told me he was going to try to make that second game a teaching game but you were too good and attacking too fiercely. 'Baring his fangs at me' was the way he put it. He had underestimated you early in the game. Sai said if he hadn't attacked full force and crushed you he might have lost the battle. So he pulled out his sword and sliced you in two."

"He certainly did that. I was stunned this kid who couldn't even hold the go stones could do that to me. It just blew me away." Akira could easily remember the shock and dismay three years later.

"Well, now you know it was Sai. Does it make you feel better he had 1,000 years of experience?" Hikaru said with a smile.

"He truly was a genius. He did that without even knowing the modern techniques at the time." Akira was still somewhat amazed at how easily Sai had crushed him.

"You're right about that. He kept saying he learned from everyone he played. We tried to find competent players on the internet, but he learned from everyone. He was amazing, absolutely amazing. That's why I was so angry at Ko Yeung-ha. I wanted to crush him. He insulted Sai."

"It was a translator problem." Akira reminded him.

"No, the original comment causing the confusion was a translator problem. After that he did it deliberately to insult Shuusaku and make me angry." Hikaru was getting worked up again.

"He succeeded brilliantly. This all explains why you took it so badly when you lost. The insults were not about a famous player who was long dead. They were about your sensei and friend."

"Damn it," Hikaru said and smacked the wall. He was still not over that loss completely. "I couldn't defend him. My go wasn't strong enough. If Ko Yeung-Ha had been facing Sai he would have been destroyed. I wanted him crushed into shards of bone and dust in front of the goban and I COULDN'T do it. Damn it. I failed. I wasn't strong enough."

Akira just eyed his friend and said nothing. There really wasn't much to say. He could tell Hikaru was starting to get himself worked up about the loss and Akira knew from long experience the best way to handle it was to say nothing and wait a few minutes for Hikaru to finish his thought and then divert him back to the game or whatever else they had been doing at the time Hikaru thought of 'the infamous loss."

Akira knew Hikaru still wasn't ready to hear the truth, which was that it was an amazing game anyone would have been proud to play; that he came within a half moku of winning against a superior player with nerves honed by years of experience in the media spotlight; and finally, that for all his ability at go, Ko Yeung-ha was an immature child who should have been spanked and made to stand in the corner instead of allowed to represent his country.

- - -


	5. Cannon Fodder

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe. I definitely don't make any money from this fic.

o - -

This was originally going to go into Hikaru's Shorts, but that fic is bombing in terms of hits. It occurred to me it definitely fits the theme of "Outplayed" so here we go.

o - -

"I have nothing." Fujiwaki 3 dan said. Hikaru bowed his head in acknowledgement. Fujiwaki felt the ritual phrase didn't convey enough. He had less than nothing. He had been crushed.

"Thank you for the game." Hikaru gave Fujiwaki the ritual closure and Fujiwaki dutifully repeated it back to him. Hikaru looked over to the goban on his right to see how Akira was doing. It wasn't that he doubted Akira would beat Kawasaki 3-dan but he was interested in seeing how soon it would be before Kawasaki resigned. Judging from the goban and the look on Kawasaki's face, it wouldn't be long. Akira was facing Hikaru on the goban to his right. Hikaru checked his watch. It was only mid afternoon. Perhaps Akira would be interested in discussing the most recent game between Ogata Jyuudan and Morishita-sensei from the fight in the Kisei League.

Ogata had won that match and Hikaru had some ideas as to how Morishita could have turned the match around. He knew Morishita's study group might not be the wisest place to point out the errors their sensei had made in the game but Hikaru thought Akira might be interested in studying the kifu with him. He remembered reading that Akira would face Ogata in the Kisei League in the near future. Besides, Hikaru had lost his first match against Morishita and wanted to study up so he would have a chance of winning the next time he faced him.

It never occurred to Hikaru it was beyond extraordinary for two pros with 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 years experience respectively to be seriously presuming to defeat 9-dan professionals with years of experience. It was just normal to him, especially since he had been able to start analyzing Sai's games with Akira. The discussions or 'arguments' as some would say, really expanded his understanding of the game.

Hikaru finished cleaning up the stones and then rose to put the win/loss record on the paperwork. He put his fan into his back pocket and took another look at Akira's game before leaving the game room. Akira watched him go. The game against Kawasaki had not required his full concentration. He thought it a little odd Hikaru had left but his opponent just sat there in front of the now empty goban. Akira had already looked several times over at the game between Hikaru and… whoever it was he was playing. The face was familiar but Akira couldn't come up with the name of Hikaru's opponent of the week. He did remember he had played him about a month ago but the game itself had been unmemorable. It seemed Hikaru had made equally short work of the lower dan. Akira looked up at Kawasaki to see if he was ready to resign. He suppressed a sigh as it seemed Kawasaki intended to continue playing. Kawasaki picked up a stone, hesitated with it and then put it back in his goke.

"I have nothing," Kawasaki stated with a bowed head.

"Thank you for the game," Akira stated formally and bowed his head.

"Thank you for the game," Kawasaki repeated. After they cleaned up the stones Akira immediately stood up and left the game area. Kawasaki watched him go, sighed and then looked over at Fujiwaki.

The two defeated players shared a grimace and then by unspoken agreement and training, they left the playing room so as not to disturb the other games still in progress.

Kawasaki opened the conversation. "It's terrible. Touya-kun is just impossible to beat. I could study for 100 years and I don't think I would beat him. I see Shindou-kun didn't have any more trouble with you than Touya-kun had winning against me. It's depressing. The sooner those two get out of the lower dan matches the better,"

"I agree," Fujiwaki said, "except Shindou-kun wasn't playing me today."

"Huh? What are you talking about? I was sitting right next to the two of you. Who was he playing then, your mother?" Kawasaki wasn't in the best of moods and the snarky comment came easily to him.

"No, he wasn't playing me at all, anymore than Touya-kun was playing you today."

Now Kawasaki knew Fujiwaki had something else in mind and just looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Shindou 2-dan was playing Touya 4-dan and Touya was playing Shindou. We just happened to have the bad luck of sitting between them and interfering with their game," Fujiwaki said. Kawasaki just looked at him and Fujiwaki continued his thought.

"I saw them both several times during the game. Whenever I happened to look up from the goban I noticed Touya-kun looking at our goban or Shindou-kun looking at yours. We weren't even on their radar. Those two were battling each other today. We weren't involved. You and I are nothing more than the poor saps who were caught in the middle as cannon fodder.

Kawasaki sighed in resignation and then nodded in agreement. Cannon fodder. It's depressing to be cannon fodder.

o - = -


	6. Didn't you see that?

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe. I definitely make NO money from this fic.

---- - -

I'm moving this to Outplayed because it fits the theme.

This scene takes place immediately after the fight between Akira and Ichiryu from chapter 151. Hikaru came in to watch the game and then Ichiryu lost and stormed out in anger. In the canon everyone leaves, but this supposes that everyone but Ichiryu sit down to discuss the game rather than leaving immediately.

-- --

Hikaru came in and quietly sat down to observe the remainder of the game. He wanted to see a match in the leagues and this was a match between Ichiryu and Akira in the Honinbou League. He also wanted as much experience as possible with Akira's games. He knew he needed to know his adversary to defeat him. He immediately realized that Akira was in trouble. Ichiryu had him in a tight spot and he needed to both escape and attack at the same time. Then Hikaru took a deep breath in, let it out slowly and took another look at the board. He suddenly saw the solution. If Akira would just play that one point, he could protect the threatened stones and also threaten that one group of Ichiryu's. He could turn around the game in that one move.

Akira's hand went out and 'pa chi, the stone was placed right where Hikaru had been looking. That one move was the turn around in the game. Ichiryu continued to fight for a while, then stewed and studied in anger before finally admitting defeat. He stalked out of the room in frustration and anger. He was unable to face the fact that he had been defeated by a pro who was still in middle school.

Akira looked up at the people who were still in room. Shindou was among them. "Shall we discuss the game?" he asked. Serizawa-sensai sat down with Hikaru and Akira by the goban. Nogi-sensei stayed where he was but was clearly observing the board. Serizawa pointed out the move which saved the match and led to Akira's win.

"I did not see that move. No one in the room saw that move but you Touya-kun. It was quite insightful." Actually, he thought it was an astonishing piece of insight but didn't want to say that out loud. Nogi nodded in agreement. They were both more worried than they wanted to admit about the threat of Akira to the current high dan players. After all, even though Serizawa was in the lead in the Honinbou League with 3 wins and 2 losses to Akira's 3 losses and 2 wins, for Akira Touya to even get to the Honinbou League and be contending while still in middle school was unprecedented. Nogi was more than concerned about the threat Akira would be when he had even a few more years of experience. Meanwhile, Hikaru was studying the board and drawing a line along the path.

"Is that true?" Akira asked. He looked up.

"Yes," Nogi admitted. "I did not see that move, but one who is playing a game often sees farther than the observers." Nogi excused himself.

"Is that true, Shindou?" Akira asked and Hikaru looked up.

"Hmm?"

"Is it true that no one else in the room saw that move except for me?"

Hikaru looked surprised. "You mean the one here where you attached to black? That started the turnaround of the match. Well, no, of course you weren't the only one," He said. "I saw it when I came in and sat down. You mean you two didn't notice it?" He looked at the two high dan pros. "I was worried for a minute that you wouldn't see it, Touya, but you did." Akira just nodded at him before Hikaru continued. "You almost missed it. Of course, after that move and the response by Ichiryu here, I would have played the stone here, rather than attaching there. It would have been a stronger response and then Ichiryu couldn't have made that defense. My approach would have forced black to respond. You won but my way would have been surer and margin of winning would have been better."

"What? How would you know what I almost missed? Are you telepathic now? I won didn't I?" Akira huffed. He gave Hikaru a dirty look and his voice was elevated.

"I was watching your face. I could see it in your eyes the moment it came to you. You almost gave up," Hikaru said. Akira grimaced but could not deny the basic truth of that statement. However, he _did_ find it and that was what was important. Hikaru continued his comments. "

"Yes, but if the next stone went here, then Ichiryu would probably have responded differently and then the next play at this point would have given you this attack and you could have turned the stones there."

"I see." Akira considered for a few moments. "No, Ichiryu would not have failed to see such an obvious attack and he could have responded by countering it with a stone at 5-15 followed up by a punch at 3-17." Akira pointed with his finger. Serizawa looked at the shape and thought 'obvious attack?' He hadn't noticed it until Akira had pointed it out.

"My way is much better," Hikaru insisted, and they continued to argue as to what would have happened in both paths 10 or 15 plays down the line. The hypotheticals got more and more complicated and Akira and Hikaru took turns arguing for their positions and huffing when the other didn't immediately acknowledge the brilliance of the hand.

Serizawa just stared at the goban and then looked up to see Nogi watching him with glazed eyes. One thought went through both their brains.

"Oh My God! There are _**TWO**_ of them."


	7. Selection Process

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe.

The next few chapters will be linked together leading up to the next Hokuto Cup. There will be a chapter or two which don't precisely discuss the cup, but everyone in Hikaru's universe is getting ready for the next cup.

0—0—0—0-

Hong Su-Yeung was excited as he walked into the meeting room. Reliable rumor had it they were going to announce the Korean representatives for the 2nd annual Hokuto cup. When he saw the President of the Association himself, Hyun Dong-Soo, in the front of the room he knew the rumors _**had **_to be right. While he was confidant of a place on the team, Su-Yeung had been working really hard and desperately wanted to be named second board. That way he would have a chance of possibly playing against Hikaru. He had been paying attention to Hikaru's movements in the Japanese Go Association and knew that Hikaru would definitely win a spot. It was just a question of whether he would be first board or second board. He had talked to Hikaru a bit during their match after the first Hokuto cup and also had written to him a few times during the year, so he knew a little more than most of the other Koreans on why Kurata had so unexpectedly given Hikaru the top spot against the Korean team. Su-Yeung was still annoyed with Yeung-Ha about that. As Su-Yeung grew up a bit this year he realized just how childish and arrogant Yeung-Ha really was and some of the hero worship was definitely gone.

All that aside, he also knew how powerful Yeung-Ha was as a player. While there were fantasies about being named first board, Su-Yeung realized that second board was the best he could realistically hope for, but he thought it might be enough. He had worked really, really hard in order to get named second board. It was neck and neck between him and Im Irfhan, but Su-Yeung thought he had a decent chance. He also thought Akira would be named first board for Japan since he still seemed ahead of Hikaru by a bit in the win category and league membership. This year there would be no drama about Shuuzaku to cause the team manager to un-expectantly move Hikaru into the first board position.

So if Akira stayed first board where he probably belonged then Hikaru would be second board and Su-Yeung could play him in a tournament game. He really wanted to show the Japanese go prodigy how much he had improved and wanted the opportunity to defeat him in a battle. It would be even better if he could beat Hikaru in a battle with a lot of international media attention. He had studied Shuusaku's kifu as well the games the internet player Sai played against his better opponents. He knew that Hikaru used them in his studies and so Su-Yeung used them to get a better handle on the ways Hikaru would play. He had of course studied what public kifu there were for Hikaru, but those were few and far between. The Shinshodan match seemed odd and out of place and he ignored it entirely after a brief look. Su-Yeung didn't know what went on in that game but it certainly didn't seem like the Hikaru with whom he had become familiar.

The Koreans were not taking the Japanese contingent lightly this year. With the exception of Yeung-Ha, who seemed to be developing a blind arrogance Su-Yeung found personally unpleasant, the other Koreans knew how tough the matches had been. Im Irfhan lost to Akira on the second board. While Su-Yeung beat Yashiro convincingly on third board, the battle had been tougher than expected especially considering Yashiro was a new professional at the time. As for the match between Yeung-Ha and Hikaru, all the Korean students studied the kifu of that match. It was an amazingly complicated battle that Hikaru had lost by only ½ moku. The Koreans had expected to wipe the floor with the Japanese, and Yeung-Ha was the only one who did not admit they had failed to do so.

Su-Yeung had also talked to Zhao Shi and Yang Hai after the tournament. The Chinese had also expected the Japanese representatives to be an easy win and were treating them almost as a warm up for the Koreans they fought later in the day. Instead it had taken all their effort to pull out the 2-1 win. Yang Hai said bluntly if Hikaru hadn't been so unnerved by the media cameras and publicity he didn't bring his 'A' game out until the second half of the match, then Wang Shi-Chin would probably have lost badly.

So it was with high hopes that Su-Yeung went into the meeting to announce the representatives of the Hokuto cup. He really hoped he would get to face Hikaru as the second board. Everyone was sitting there with expectant looks on their faces. The few who knew they had a chance to be named to the panel were taking turns eyeing each other with hope and anxiety. Ko Yeung-Ha was the only one who didn't show any nerves at all. He sat in his chair, leaning it against the wall on its two back legs. He was the picture of calm complacency but it was a carefully and deliberately crafted picture. He knew where he would be placed. So did everyone else. They were fighting for second and third board. The head of the Korean Go Association stood up to address the players.

"As you all know, the Hokuto Cup is being held again this year and we will be sending a 3 person team to Japan to play against China and Japan. You have all worked hard and it was a difficult decision as to who to place on the team."

Yeung-Ha sniffed. He didn't think it had been difficult to decide who would be first board. It was obvious. He smirked at the others in the room. He could tell from the resigned looks they gave him they didn't think the choice was difficult either. Even though Yeung-Ha was the best of the young players in the Korean Go Association, he was definitely not one of the most popular.

"The First Board is Im Irfhan." Startled low murmurings accompanied this and people glanced over at Yeung-Ha. Even Irfhan looked startled and then looked over at Yeung-Ha. Yeung-Ha was eyeing the President with a narrow gaze. 'Surely he is not making me second board. What an insult.' He frowned.

The President ignored the murmurings and continued. "Second Board is Hong Su-Yeung." Everyone gasped and the murmurings got much louder.

"What are you saying?" Yeung-Ha interrupted, but the President gave him a warning look.

"Quiet. The Third Board is Lee Yeung-Pyo. Reserve is Ko Yeung-Ha." A crash and a squawk accompanied this announcement and all eyes turned to see Yeung-Ha had fallen on the ground under his collapsed chair.

"What the F-?" He said as he got to his feet. "You can't possibly be making me reserve. I'm the best."

"You forget yourself. I am the President of this Association and what I say goes." A stern glare accompanied this as Mr. Hyun looked down his nose at Yeung-Ha.

"At least tell me why. This is ridiculous. It makes no sense."

"You do not want to have this conversation in public," Yeung-Ha was told severely.

"I don't care where I have it. I'm the best and I should be made First Board." Yeung-Ha was shocked and angry and wasn't thinking clearly about whom he was addressing or who was listening to the conversation.

"Enough! You are an arrogant child who created problems and embarrassment for Korea last year. You weren't even apologetic about it later. We intend to win this cup for Korea again, but the players represent our country and our honor. Your behavior last year made it clear you are not mature enough to represent Korea yet. We do not need a child who gratuitously insults the host country. Instead of correcting the misunderstanding over the bad translation, you threw flames on it. You insulted your opponent as well. Despite your much greater experience, you only won by ½ a moku, which is hardly a decisive victory. Yet you publically crowed over it as though he had been crushed. That only proves your insecurity and fear.

"It was shameful and you dishonored our country with your behavior. I have seen nothing this year to show me you would not do the same thing again and your display today only assures me I made the right decision. Convince me otherwise and I may rearrange these players, but right now you are nothing but the reserve player. . Yeung-Pyo, Su-Yeung & Irfhan are all excellent players who have worked hard to deserve a spot on the team. We can be proud of them. They have earned the right to represent Korea." With that final comment, the Head of the Association swept out of the room. Everyone looked at each other in silent shock, but no one met eyes with Yeung-Ha.


	8. A Much Desired Meeting

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe.

This hasn't really been carefully edited, so I may expand and massage it and repost it later, but I wanted to get it out there anyway.

Thank you SO much to everyone who has taken the time to review, as well as everyone who has read Outplayed and added it to their favorites section or their "alerts." I really appreciate it.

#######

All of the Team Managers and the team members attended the awards ceremony. Afterwards the three managers and a number of the young players gathered in the viewing room after the first Hokuto cup's awards ceremony. They talked amongst themselves as they collected their personal belongings. An Te-son, Yan Hai and Kurata were discussing the games. Yan Hai was reluctantly translating from Korean to Japanese for Kurata. Ko Yeung-Ha was impatiently waiting for Su-Yeung to finish talking with Hikaru. Yashiro had already left but Akira and Hikaru were talking with Su-Yeung and Chao Shi. There was a lot of multi-lingual communication going on as Chao Shi tried to listen to the Japanese and Akira tried to make a few comments in mandarin to him.

"Shindou almost caught up to your second," Kurata told Yan Hai. "If there had been just a few more moves Shindou would have won, even without that one move Ko Yeung-Ha saw." Kurata glared at Ko. Yeung-Ha just rolled his eyes, looked away from him and sniffed dismissively. He didn't care a shred for what the obese Japanese man thought of him. An Te-Son grimaced inside. He agreed that Kurata could be difficult, but that didn't give Yeung-Ha an excuse to show it publically. Yeung-Ha's behavior was embarrassing for the Korean contingent.

"Don't forget tomorrow, Shindou." Su-Yeung said. "It is 9:00 a.m. at the Salon." Su-Yeung had every intention of beating Hikaru tomorrow, but it didn't seem polite to predict another Korean victory so soon after Hikaru's difficult loss to Yeung-Ha. Besides, after witnessing the game they had played, he wasn't confident that he could have played so well against his fellow Korean. Su-Yeung remembered a proverb an American amateur had said to him once about 'not counting chickens when they were eggs' or 'before they were chickens' or something like that. He didn't speak English and the translation wasn't fully clear but Su-Yeung thought he had the basic idea.

"I won't forget," Hikaru replied with a tiny smile. It didn't reach his eyes and the trademark Shindou animation was gone. His face immediately fell. He was silent and glum and closed.

Yeung-Ha walked up close to Hikaru and smirked into his face. "I told you your skills are nothing to mine. Neither is Shuusaku. You think so highly of him. He was an antique player whose skills would be out of date if he faced me. I would win easily." He laughed and then continued. "Su-Yeung, translate that."

"I won't. He doesn't need to know how stupid you are being." Su-Yeung glared at Yeung-Ha.

Yan Hai thought Hikaru had a right to know and translated for him. When Hikaru heard the continuing insults to Sai, he went bright red. His fists were clenched tight against his body. He literally shook with his rage. "Damn you. I don't care what you say about me. I lost to you, even if it was only by ½ a moku, but don't you DARE insult Shuusaku. You wouldn't be able to keep up with him for half a game."

"Easy to say when he's been dead and buried for 150 years." Yeung-Ha shrugged. An Te-Son and Su-Yeung just shook their heads in embarrassment and resignation. Clearly nothing was going to stop him. He had the proverbial bit between his teeth.

Hikaru literally cut his nails into his palms to prevent himself from punching the smarmy young man. The entire room was stiff and silent from tension. Then everyone heard a slight creak and the door opened. A man in his mid twenties stood in the doorway wearing modern formal Japanese attire. He was slender with large purple eyes in an otherwise Japanese face. His hair was shoulder length and pulled back in a short queue.

"What are you doing here?" Kurata said loudly. "Sorry, but I'm not giving autographs right now. You'll have to leave. However, I'd be happy to give you one at my next public appearance."

"Excuse me," Yan Hai said more politely to the man in Japanese. "This room is not open to the public. It is for the team participants only."

"Oh that is not a problem," the man said. "I'm not the public. I'm looking for Hikaru." He smiled genially at Hikaru, who stared back at him in shock.

"Sai?" A tiny whisper came from Hikaru. Akira heard it and he stared at Hikaru before focusing on the man in the doorway again.

"SAI?"

"SAI!"

"I've missed you too, Hikaru," was all he said with a gentle smile. Hikaru reached him before he could take another step into the room and held on tight. 'Sai?' One thought went through several brains. Could this truly be the Sai from net go? Akira didn't doubt it at all. He'd always known there was some connection. Except if this was Sai, then how did Hikaru beat him all those years ago when they were both young?

"I can't believe it. I can't believe it. What are you doing here? You disappeared. I thought you were gone forever." Hikaru shook Sai by the shoulders several times before hugging him again. "I can't believe it," he kept saying. His eyes were wet. "I'm so sorry. I tried so hard, but still lost. My go wasn't strong enough to win. I couldn't defend…" Sai's hand reached up to stop the flow of words coming from Hikaru.

"You are upset and frustrated because you believe you failed to defend Shuusaku, isn't that right?" Sai stated. Hikaru just nodded his head a little forlornly. "Don't worry. After all, I could beat Ko Yeung-Ha. I know that. So do you." Sai slid a glance sideways at Yeung-Ha. "Of course, it wouldn't be fair to ask him to play a game now, when he is just recovering from the battle with you."

"What? I could take you on all day long. If you're some friend of the kid, I could beat you with my eyes closed. I just don't see the point of wasting my time and skill on you." It didn't occur to Yeung-Ha to wonder why Sai was speaking Korean, or why the Japanese team wasn't having problems understanding him given that he _was_ speaking Korean.

At this point An Te-son spoke up. "Be quiet, Yeung-Ha. If this is the player from net go online a year ago I don't think you'd find it so easy."

"Nonsense," said Yeung-Ha with an arrogant sniff. "I could sit down right now at this goban and beat him hollow."

Sai's face lit up with glee and he bounced and clapped his hands. It looked a little odd with the formal Japanese attire he was wearing. "I accept," he said with elation. "Play, play. Let's play go."

'What kind of an expression is that? He looks like an idiot clapping his hands and jumping up and down. Pah. He might be some friend of Shindou but no one who acts that childish could possible play go. He couldn't be the Sai from the Internet. He and Shindou just have everyone else in the room snowed. The person in front of me could never have beaten Touya Kouyo. I'll sit down and destroy him now. It will be my final act to grinding that kid's confidence into the floor.'

As Yeung-Ha and Sai sat down in front of the goban, Kurata prepared to leave the room. "I can't possibly watch another game of go without something to eat. I'm starving." He left. No one else was about to leave. They all wanted to watch this game. Even though Chao Shi was not that familiar with "the legend of Sai," he didn't intend to give up an opportunity to watch two strong players.

"You may play black," said Sai with a small smile and a bow.

"Nigiri," spat Yeung-Ha.

Hikaru watched as they prepared to start the game. 'He should have taken Sai up on his offer,' he thought. 'Now he doesn't have any chance at all.' Sai played the first move and moved the black stone gracefully to the 4-4 star point where it landed with a loud _pa-chi_. Hikaru watched with satisfaction and everyone else watched with awe and disbelief as Sai quickly, methodically and systematically dissected Ko Yeung-Ha's go.

#####

Approximately 45 minutes later the door flew open and Ogata Juuydan stalked into the room. "I was told by Kurata that Ko Yeung-Ha is playing someone named Sai." His eyes went first to Hikaru and then to the man sitting across from Yeung-Ha. He failed to notice the stunned defeated look in Yeung-Ha's eyes.

Hikaru just laughed and said happily "Yes, he's back; he's back; he's back."

Ogata gave Hikaru an evil look. "I knew you knew him, you little shit." He stepped toward Hikaru and raised his fist in his direction. Sai immediately rose gracefully to his feet and stepped between Ogata and Hikaru. He glared at the man.

"You are Sai?" Ogata asked.

"I am," was all Sai said.

"Fight me. You fought Touya Kouyo. Fight me."

Sai's eyes narrowed at the Jyudan. He stood up even straighter and stared down at Ogata. "Fight you? At one time I would have been pleased to fight you. Now I will not. I know what you did at that hospital. You physically attacked a boy less than half your age in your anger and self-indulgence over trying to find me. If I had had a body and a sword it would not have been a goban I would have chosen as a battlefield." Sai glared. Suddenly Sai looked every inch the warrior, and not just one on the goban. Ogata looked astonished and took a step back. It occurred to Hikaru that 1,000 years ago a nobleman was taught more than the 4 accomplishments of go, flower arranging, painting and the flute. Sai always seemed so harmless and focused on go. He would have grown up learning the art of war. Sai was not limited to fighting with go stones.

'I wonder if anyone else noticed the bit about 'If he had had a _body_?'' Yan Hai thought. He certainly didn't seem like a ghost to Yan Hai. He was dressed in modern formal Japanese attire and didn't have any problems manipulating the go stones. If he was a ghost he'd not have been able to move the stones, Yan Hai thought.

"This is impossible; impossible." Yeung-Ha stared at the goban in stunned disbelief. Sai eyed Ogata one last time and then turned to Ko Yeung-Ha with a small smile.

"I believe your exact words were 'If Shuusaku were to come back today, he would stand no chance against me.' Didn't Hikaru warn you _**you**_ would have no chance against me? Ko Yeung-Ha, you are a talented child, but in your arrogance you fail to realize you are decades lacking in experience and ability to begin to challenge me," Sai said with an indulgent smile and a small laugh.

"Yes!" said Hikaru with a grin and he pumped his arm in the air. "He is crushed into bones and dust in front of the goban. No one's going to insult you ever again." Hikaru was so ecstatic he was beyond any sense of discretion. Yeung-Ha just stared at him in shock and then stared back at the board. Everyone in the room was staring. Their eyes would go to Sai, and then the board, and then Sai again.

"HIKARU, you should never insult an enemy after you have won, especially when he has been crushed," Sai said sharply.

Hikaru hung his head. "I'm sorry Sai."

He smiled gently at Hikaru. "I understand. Hikaru, I must go now. I was only allowed back for one purpose. It was clear you would have fixated on this silly feud with Ko Yeung-Ha. Put it behind you. The foolish words of an arrogant child mean nothing to me anymore, but they have the power to hurt you. Please stop taking such things to heart. He is now defeated. Promise me you will put it behind you and continue moving forward on this path you have chosen."

Hikaru tried but couldn't stop the tears which came to his eyes. He grabbed Sai just to touch him physically. "Don't go. Don't leave me alone again. I'll, I'll give up go if you stay." Sai shook him a bit about the shoulders, then hugged Hikaru and gently withdrew from him.

"Hikaru, would I want you to stop? Did I teach you to play only to have you give it up?" Sai looked at him with a bit of exasperation. "Those forfeits upset me greatly, although I understand why they happened. I never want you to go through that again. Win or lose, do not avoid the fight. This time at least we can say goodbye properly." He smiled regretfully at Hikaru. "Now I must go. My time is passed and I have to move on. I have made peace with that. You should do the same. You are strong and will be fine. You have Akira to challenge you to continue moving forward on this path. The two of you will strive together for the hand of god. Do not bury yourself in regret for having lost the match against Yeung-Ha. It was a strong glorious fight against a player with vastly more experience and your will came close to defeating him. You can be proud of that fight. You defended my honor well." While he said this his clothing had morphed from modern kimono to his normal attire; his hair returned to its normal length and appearance. Stunned silence filled the room.

Tears continued to fall down Hikaru's face. "Please don't go," he whispered.

"I have no choice. I must leave you." He turned to Touya Akira and bowed his head to him. Akira looked startled at the attention and then responded with a deep bow of his own. "Touya Akira-kun, please tell your father the battle with him was the highlight of 1,000 years. He is truly the one closest to the hand of god right now, although I have hopes for you and Hikaru in another 20 years." He smiled. "Tell him I deeply regret being unable to face him again as I regretted being unable to battle him in person. I shall look forward to challenging him in the future but hope that fight is many, many years from now." He laughed softly.

Yan Hai was brash. He was never at a loss for words. "I asked Touya Kouyo why you would have appeared on the internet and he said 'to do battle with me.' It sounds as though he was right."

Sai looked at Yan Hai, smiled and said, "He was partially right. I realized after the battle I was given 1,000 years not just to battle Touya Kouyo, but to show the game to Hikaru."

Everyone in the room absorbed that thought with varying degrees of shock or disbelief. He 'was given 1,000 years' just to show Hikaru something? Yan Hai eyed Hikaru with trepidation and wondered what this kid would be doing 10 years from now if the god of go made special arrangements just to get him walking the path.

Sai turned back to Hikaru. "Making the moves for me gave you an insight into the game as though you had played it yourself. You saw a path to victory that Touya Kouyo missed and you grew as a player. I am sorry to have to leave you and already miss you more than I can say. It's been fun, even if I still don't understand how people could put a man on the moon but they haven't been able to improve umbrellas in over 1,000 years." His eyes twinkled at that.

Hikaru managed a weak laugh. Then he held out his fan again and Hikaru slowly took it. It felt real and solid in his hand. "Goodbye Hikaru." With that last comment, Sai wavered and disappeared. No one said a word. Tears continued to run down Hikaru's face as he collapsed to his knees.

"**S A I ****!" **Hikaru screamed. An antique yellow fan remained clutched tightly in his right hand.

Oddly, it was Yan Hai rather than one of Hikaru's Japanese associates who moved to comfort him with a pat on the back. No one else seemed capable of movement or speech. Even Yeung-Ha had nothing to say. Hikaru slowly got back to his feet still clutching the fan which had remained in his hand. He stared at the spot Sai had disappeared and sighed. Yeung-Ha and the others were silent but eyeing each other. They each were thinking similar thoughts. 'Did I imagine that? Did that person see and hear what I think I just did?'

Then the door started to open and all eyes flew to it. Kurata came in toting a half eaten sandwich in one hand and a plate with a full sandwich in the other. He smiled when he saw the gathering of Korean, Japanese and Chinese players and said, "So, are you making friends with some friendly games? Good, good. Now we can forget all this nonsense about some harmless insults to a long dead Shuusaku, even if he was the best in history." Yan Hai and Hong Su-Yeung glanced at each other then each grabbed an arm of Hikaru's when it looked for a moment as if he would launch himself at the Japanese 6-dan.

Hikaru's eyes flashed at Kurata with such intensity that Kurata took a step back with an "Eh?" Then Hikaru gathered him, smiled his cheerful grin and said "the insults weren't harmless; but they _**have **_been avenged."

########

"Sai." Hikaru woke up with tears in his eyes, as he so often did when he dreamed of Sai. He stared at his fan, which was right on his bed side table as usual.

Across town, Akira woke up stunned. He didn't usually remember his dreams. His mind was a whirl wind of thoughts but one thought overrode the others. 'Kifu. Kifu. I must make a kifu.' He got out of bed.

One Thousand Three Hundred miles to east, Yan Hai blearily rubbed his eyes. He smacked his head lightly to try to get his brain functioning. "What an odd dream," he said out loud to no one in particular.

##########

Yan Hai is one of my favorite side characters. He seems so grounded compared to a lot of the other pros, plus he is very sociable and has a great sense of humor.


	9. Strong Amateurs

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe. I definitely make NO money from this fic.

_Strong Amateurs_ was cleaned up to practice writing again. I plan to enter _blind go_ this month.

It started out at 335 words and was going to be a short-short piece. It is not lengthy at 1300 words, but is definitely off the 'short-short' list.

If you haven't read the last chapter in Outplayed you should do so, as this piece follows immediately afterwards and is not really a "stand alone."

From here _Outplayed_ will move to the second annual Hokuto Cup. Large amounts of the next two chapters are already written (and have been for some time) but they need some expanding and lots of proof reading.

###

When Touya Akiko got up the next morning she was mildly surprised but not shocked to find Akira already awake and at the goban. Although she typically rose first and started breakfast and some tea, it was not uncommon for either her son or her husband to be found awake and studying go. She knew her husband occasionally got up in the middle of the night when his mind prodded him to do so. Akiko noticed a kifu in Akira's hand which he seemed to be replaying the game on the goban. Another kifu lay beside him on the floor.

"Good morning, Akira. You're up early," she said.

"Yes, mother. I woke up early and decided to create a kifu of a game I observed." Akira glanced at his mother briefly and gave her a small smile before returning his eyes to the board.

"Shall I bring you a cup of tea?"

"That would be very thoughtful, mother. Thank you." His eyes never left the board. After a while Akira picked up the kifu of the game between Hikaru and Ko Yeung-Ha from the Hokuto Cup. He examined it carefully. He continued to study the shapes and patterns of both black and white until he heard his father. Akira knew he would be joining him at the goban soon for their morning game as they still started the day with a game whenever Kouyo was in town. He quickly began sorting the stones back into the goke.

"Good morning, Akira."

"Good morning, father."

"What are you studying?"

"A game I observed. I am trying to analyze it."

"Would you care to show it to me?"

"Forgive me father, but I would like to study it and try to analyze it myself before showing you the game."

"As you wish, son. Shall we begin our game?" Touya Kouyo was very curious about what game Akira could have watched he would be reluctant to share with his father, but he respected Akira's privacy. He noticed Akira seemed preoccupied during their game and didn't play as well as he usually did.

"I resign," Akira said with a short bow.

"You are not concentrating on this game, Akira," his father immediately told him. "Your mind is elsewhere. You should not have lost to me as badly as you did."

"I know father. I apologize."

"Do not apologize to me. Apologize to your go," Kouyo responded.

Both Touyas went their separate ways after breakfast. Akira had a game that morning. Fortunately, it was just one of the Oteai games against an ordinary 3-dan, and he won it handily despite his distraction. He saw Hikaru across the room but Hikaru was finished with his game before Akira and left immediately afterwards. Akira didn't see him around by the time the 3-dan resigned and Akira had registered his win.

'Unfortunately,' Akira thought, 'Shindou isn't coming to the salon today. This is his day to go to the study group with Moreshita sensei for a short session. Nevertheless Akira went to the salon and replayed the game from his dream, staring at it and comparing it to the game from the Hokuto Cup.

Later that evening both of his parents noticed Akira was still preoccupied during dinner. He was eating the lovely dinner Akiko had fixed but he didn't seem to really notice it. This evening they were having rice, grilled fish, stir fried vegetables and pickles.

"Akira, is something wrong?" Kouyo suspected Akira's mind was still focused on the game he had been analyzing this morning.

"Father, I think you should consider ending your retirement."

"Why, my son?" Kouya's eyes widened in some surprise.

Akira just looked at him. "There is no supremely strong amateur waiting somewhere in the world to be discovered."

Kouyo stared at his son for a long moment. Akiko could tell some significant communication was going between them but she had no idea what it was about.

"I see." Kouyo did see. Clearly Akira had learned the story behind Sai and Hikaru and knew Sai was permanently gone. In a flash of insight he wondered if it had anything to do with the string of forfeits in Hikaru's first professional year.

"I am disappointed to hear that, Akira, but there are many strong amateurs and professionals in other countries against whom to test my strength. I do not need to come out of retirement yet. Our house is full of professionals who come to play and the other countries are full of interesting professionals and strong amateurs to play."

"Perhaps you might want to play Shindou in a friendly game sometime," Akira suggested. "I know he would enjoy that. He has wanted the opportunity to meet you over the goban."

"I would enjoy that also. I suspect the game Shindou pro will play with me now will be much changed from his Shinshodan match."

"Yes. You will find the game Shindou plays to be significantly different from his Shinshodan match," Akira agreed.

"I see." Kouyo understood what his son was telling him. The Shindou who would play him now would not be the same as the Shindou who played the Shinshodan match. 'This did not come as such a surprise as Akira clearly thinks it does', the former Meijin thought with some amusement. He had long since considered all the known facts and suspicions concerning Sai. 'When the impossible has been weeded out, what is left, no matter how improbable, is the truth.'

#

Fact: Shindou beat Akira when they were 12 years old and Shindou told Ichiwara san he hadn't played before that day. Kouya thinks he will never forget look of shock on Akira's face. It lasted for several days, and his obsession with Shindou began at that moment.

#

Fact: Akira studied hard to try to beat Shindou and then was horribly upset and angry at the very weak game he played against Akira in middle school.

#

Fact: Shindou then began learning at a phenomenal rate and passed the pro exam the year after Akira passed the exam. As best as anyone knew, he had been playing for no more than two years.

#

Fact: Shindo has no known teacher. Kouyo knows Moreshita's insei student had invited Shindou to join their study group, but that was a casual once a week type of relationship. He is not Moreshita's student.

#

Fact: Although the game Shindou played in the Shinshodan game seemed weak and bizarre to less experienced players, Kouyo knows the hands had deep meaning. He felt the pressure of age and experience that no child should have been able to accomplish no matter how talented they were. He had replayed that game many times and followed the paths of the traps and trails his experience had helped him to elude. He had dissected them and re drawn the lines time and again.

#

Fact: Shindou and Sai have a connection. Shindou set up the game between Kouyo and Sai.

#

Fact: The game between Kouyo and Sai had the same pressure of age and experience as Kouyo felt from Shindou during the Shinshodan match.

#

Fact: Shindou is obsessively fixated on keeping his connection to Sai a secret. If he was merely disabled or even a quadriplegic, there would be no need for obsessive secrecy. There would be no reason to deny knowing Sai.

#

Fact: Kouyo has studied what few kifu exist for Shindou and what games his son has replayed for him. He has used the computer sufficiently to study the kifu of Sai's games with the known professionals on the web and a couple of strong amateurs. Kouyo knows go. Shindou is not Sai, although his go is related. It is obvious to Kouyo that Shindou is or was Sai's student.

#

Fact: Yan Hai is an intelligent and perceptive man. He was the first to point out that a spirit would only be able to play go on the internet.

#

Fact: Stories about Shindou from the Hokuto Cup and from Kurata show that Shindou is obsessively defensive of any slight to the name of Shusaku.

#

Opinion: For a teenager, Shindou seems obsessive, period. Then again, Kouyo knows it takes a little obsessive behavior to make a good go professional.

#

Conclusion: It is highly likely Sai is a ghost or spirit who used Shindou to play.

#

Secondary conclusion: Sai was possibly the ghost of Shusaku.

#

#

Kouyo shook his conclusions about Sai and Shindou out of his head and turned to focus on what his wife was saying.

"Well, of course the game will be different from his Shinshodan match, Akira-kun," Akiko said with a smile. "Even I know how much a professional player typically improves during his first couple of years and I can't help but realize your friend is better than most professionals." She was just happy to have something to contribute to the conversation. Kouyo and Akira looked at her briefly and then at each other again.

"Akira, if Shindou-kun knows of any strong amateurs he would be willing to tell me about, I would be pleased to keep his confidence, even if those players are no longer able to play a game with me."

"Thank you, father. I will discuss the matter with Shindou." Akira bit his lip and considered his next move carefully. "If you have time after dinner, father, I would appreciate your opinion of a game I recently observed."

Kouyo smiled at Akira. "I would be very pleased to offer whatever insight I might have into the game." As he finished his dinner, Kouya reflected that it felt very good to be trusted by his son.

#

#


	10. The Club

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe.

This is really half of a full chapter, but I decided that half a chapter sooner is better than a longer chapter two weeks from now.

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When Akira came out of the elevator the next morning he saw the familiar blond bangs and immediately went over to Hikaru. He was just removing his shoes and there were no other players around him.

"Shindou, are you coming to the salon this afternoon," Akira asked. There was a bit of urgency in his voice but he had consciously tried to keep his voice even and low.

"Yeah, sure," Hikaru replied. "I always come over after the match on Wednesdays, don't I?"

"Yes, but I want to be sure. I have a game I need to show you."

"O.k., that's fine with me." Hikaru was about to ask Akira who had played the game but Honda came by at that moment. He was smiling and walked towards the room with confidence.

"Good morning, Shindou," he said with a smile. Honda nodded politely to Akira who responded in kind.

"Good morning, Honda," Hikaru replied. "You sure look like you feel good today."

"I do indeed."

"Who are you playing?"

Honda just grinned. "It's a club game."

"Oh, so that's the reason you're in such a good mood," Hikaru said. "Well, I'd wish you luck but I presume you won't need it today. Go get him."

"Thanks," Honda said before heading into the game room.

"Just what do you mean by 'a club game'? Akira asked with a glare. His voice was tight. "Is this another one of your little insei clique's invitational games, Shindou _**SAI**_? Did you enjoy buying sushi for everyone?" Akira said with an arch look on his face.

'Ouch,' Hikaru thought. He knew Akira's nose was still out of joint that he hadn't been invited to play in the _Sai Invitational_ along with most of the other pros in his age group. It didn't matter that it wasn't a real tournament and that he really had been very busy. He had not been invited.

"Aw, come on, get over that. Your whining is getting old. We both know you couldn't have played in it anyway. You would have turned it down with some obnoxious comment. You were too busy with real leagues to play in our little teaching league."

"You mean, Waya 3-dan's little teaching league." Akira sniffed.

Hikaru looked at him and then caved. He knew Akira better than he thought he did. He possibly knew Akira better about some things than Akira knew himself. Akira was hurt he had been left out of an event most of the other professionals his age had been able to join. The bonding experience of the participants of the _Sai Invitational Cup_ was irreplaceable. The fact that Akira truly had not had time to play in an eight game round robin practice league made no difference at all. He had still been left out. Hikaru was getting to know Akira better all the time, and he knew that Akira's feelings were hurt. He also knew that hell would freeze before Akira admitted it to anyone.

"Don't worry, Touya," Hikaru said with a grin. "I'm sure you're a member of this club without even realizing it. This is the "Don't Lose to Mashiba Club."

"Huh?" Touya looked blank. "Who is Mashiba and why does he rate this attention?"

"Mashiba is that stocky red haired pro who passed the same year you did. He's still a 2-dan and not a particularly skilled one at that." Hikaru told him.

"Eh?" Touya couldn't remember who had passed his year. They were unimportant and had never really registered with him. "If he is such a weak player, why is there a club dedicated to beating him?"

Hikaru laughed. "That's because he's an arrogant ass."

"But he must be very weak if he is still a 2-dan and passed with me. What on earth does he have to be arrogant about?"

"Our point exactly. The club is made up of the professionals who passed my year and the year after that. That's Waya, Ochi, myself, Isumi, Kadowacki and Honda. There are a few others in the club such as Saecki and Nakayama. Pretty much anyone who was an insei and turned professional in the last 5 years or so is a member. They all knew Mashiba." Hikaru looked solemn. We are dedicated to never losing to Mashiba."

Just then Mashiba himself walked by. He looked vaguely familiar but Akira would not have recognized him had Shindou not been described him and if he hadn't just said good morning to him. Akira watched him and had to agree. His whole face seemed like his nose was up in the air. He nodded distantly at Akira and scowled at Hikaru.

"Good morning, Mashiba. I hear you're playing Honda 2-dan today. Have a good game." Hikaru's smile was angelic but his eyes were wolfish. Mashiba's scowl deepened.

"I intend to win this game. I have experience over Honda."

"Good luck with that. You can tell me later how that works out for you," Hikaru said with mock politeness. Mashiba just glared and stalked into the game room.

"Hikaru," Akira said, "that was terribly rude. Why are all of you so fixated on beating this 2-dan anyway?" Sometimes Akira felt like the parent constantly reining in Hikaru's over the top behavior.

"He insulted Insumi during the Young Lion's tournament in my insei year. Isumi beat him handily and Mashiba was mad about it. He made a couple of really nasty comments about how it didn't do any good to be a great go player and top of the insei if Isumi always choked and failed the pro exam. Isumi is a great player and he's going places. He isn't going to muddle around in the middle of the professional pack like some people. He just needed a little more experience in the mental practice of winning a game before he could turn pro and he got that from the Chinese. Isumi will definitely be one of the top players eventually.

"Then Mashiba has this habit of strutting around here acting like he's a title holder. The Club members are dedicated to keeping him from winning games. See, you must be a member of the club. I'm sure you've never lost to the likes of him."

"I'm sure I haven't" Akira agreed. "It still sounds like a lot of energy to devote to some know-nothing pro. I can understand you beating him, but why bother having yet another special group to formalize it? Why are you doing it? Why do Ochi 3-dan and Kadowacki 2-dan take part in this 'club'?"

Hikaru looked uncharacteristically solemn. "I think they do it just because they want to beat every person they play and this club is just a way to get psyched up for a game. Also, even though Ochi would die before admitting it, without this group from our insei days I don't think Ochi would have any friends at all. He might act like he doesn't need them, but everyone needs friends and a group to belong to." Hikaru saw a strange look on Akira's face and realized what he had said. He hurried to continue talking.

"My reason is different from the others. I met Gokiso 7-dan in less than good circumstances. He's a washed up 7-dan who I met just after I had passed the exam but before any of the games officially started in the Spring. Sai was still with me back then and I took him to a go convention. He really liked those things. Gokiso was encouraging fake sales and over pricing in collusion with some scummy dealer. He had shin kaya goban listed as kaya and priced as kaya." Hikaru frowned when he remembered that day. "Gokiso had arranged for the dealer to be at the tournament and then took a cut of the dealer's profits. Beside, he forged Torajiro's name on an antique goban and claimed it had belonged to Shuusaku Honinbou. He was trying to sell it for 6 million yen. This all happened just after I turned pro. Sai instantly knew it was a fake and he about had a hissy fit in the middle of the convention. I'm lucky I hadn't had much breakfast."

"How is this related to Mashiba 2-dan?"

"Mashiba could easily become a second Gokiso. He has that combination of weakness of mind and arrogance." Then Hikaru looked falsely virtuous. "I feel it is my civic duty to prevent Mashiba from getting ideas above his station in the go community. All of us in the club are even more motivated to beat Mashiba than an ordinary game. Since Waya started the club Mashiba's only won one game among the former insei who passed in the last five years.

"Shindou, that is truly bizarre."

"Well, everyone needs a hobby." Hikaru laughed and Akira shook his head with mock despair before the two friends walked companionably into the playing area to start their games.

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If any readers don't know to what Akira and Hikaru are referring when they snipe about the "Sai Invitational", please read my piece "The Invitational." I think its funny, but then, naturally I do. I wrote it

Thank you for reading my fiction. Please consider leaving me a review to tell me what you thought of it. Every review is treasured.


	11. A Shared Dream

As you probably know, I don't own Hikaru no Go and appreciate the owners letting me play in their universe.

.. ... ... ... ... ...

Hikaru walked into the salon later that afternoon and automatically handed Ichikawa his bag. Then he glanced over the people in the room. "Wait a minute. Do you mean to tell me Touya's not even here yet?" He frowned. "He made such a big deal about insisting I get here today. He said he had a game he wanted to show me and he asked at least two or three times to make sure I was coming today, and then he doesn't even have the common courtesy to be on time?" Hikaru was working up a good head of steam and totally ignored the fact that he was late most of the time himself. Ichikawa stopped him when he paused a moment to take a breath.

"No, no, he's here. Don't worry," she said. "He's in the back room."

"The back room?"

"Yes. You know the one with the tatami mats and floor goban."

Hikaru thought about that for a moment. "I guess I knew there was something back there but I've never been in it. What's he doing there?"

"I don't know, but he said to show you to the room when you arrived. He seemed very serious about it."

"Hmmm, well you never can tell with him."

"Would you like a can of your usual drink?" She asked him.

"Yes please, Ichikawa-san," Hikaru said and he handed over the money for it. Tea was included but other drinks were extra and Hikaru always paid for the canned beverages even though he never paid the entrance fee. He was making good money as a pro and by paying for the drinks he could have as many as he wanted without feeling he was imposing on Touya's sensei's hospitality. Despite his usual behavior, Hikaru really had been raised by his mother to know proper manners. He knew them. He just didn't always decide to exercise them.

Touya's shoes were on the step outside the sliding door so Hikaru removed his shoes also before entering the room. Clearly, this room was made to be a little oasis in the middle of the otherwise modern go salon. It was small but decorated in quiet good taste. An antique scroll hung from one wall. It showed two men playing go. In the center of the room sat a good quality floor goban and two cushions. Akira was sitting on one of the cushions and was cleaning up the stones from some game he had been starting to lay out.

"Hi, Touya. What's up? Why are we in this room?" Hikaru asked as he sat down on the other cushion. Akira just looked at him and continued to clean up the stones. Hikaru noticed that these stones were slate and shell instead of the regular go salon glass and the goke were of a better quality than the ones in the main room.

"It seemed appropriate," he said. "I'd like to show you a game."

"It's a game we can't play out at the regular table?"

"I think not."

"O.k., this is fine by me. Who played the game?" Hikaru got even more curious when Touya just looked at him.

"I'll let you decide that."

"Aww, Touya, you know I'm no good yet at identifying people through their go," Hikaru whined.

"I know, and perhaps this will be good practice for you, then," Touya said without sympathy.

Hikaru just shrugged and watched as Akira began to lay out the stones. About 10 hands into it, he knew he had seen the game before. Where had he seen it? "Touya, I saw that game, didn't I?" He got nothing more than a knowing nod in return, as though Hikaru had confirmed something Akira knew or suspected.

"I saw it recently. So who played it? Was it that game between Ogata and… no. There is nothing the slightest bit Ogata-ish about either of the players. This doesn't look like you played either black or white. Black looks a little bit like me, but I'd remember if I'd played this game." Hikaru continued to frown at the board. Akira laid a few more hands. Suddenly Hikaru gasped.

"No way! Absolutely no way." The language came out in his shock. "WHO played this game and where did you SEE it?" Hikaru demanded.

"You tell me." Akira continued to lay out hands while Hikaru's eyes got wider and wider.

"That's impossible. This can't be…" he stumbled.

"You're one to talk about what's impossible," Akira said calmly. He had had more time to consider the possibility that Hikaru might really recognize the game or at least who played black even if he didn't recognize the game itself.

"Where did you see it?" Hikaru said again. Akira just looked at him. "Hey, I went first last time. You have to go first this time."

Suddenly Akira just laughed and the tension broke. "That is SO like you, Shindou. Fine, I saw this game in a dream two nights ago. It was played by Fujiwara no Sai and Ko Yeung-Ha."

"Unbelievable. Un fucking believable."

"Really, Shindou," Akira said with disapproval. "Does shock always do such things to your mouth?"

"But, did you really see this? You dreamed this? Do you realize what this means? We had the same dream. You've seen Sai. You know what he looks like. I just can't believe it. It's amazing. I'm not the only one who knows what Sai looks like."

"I knew about Sai before," Akira reminded him.

"Yeah, but now you've met him. Really met him and talked to him. He had to have been really in our dream or how would we have dreamed the exact same game? It's impossible. We had a shared dream. This is utterly fantastic." Hikaru was thrilled.

"Shindou, did he really look almost feminine and have purple eyes?"

"Yes, he certainly did. It's strange but true. How he had purple eyes at a time in Japanese history when there were literally no gaijin, I have no idea, but he did have purple eyes."

"Perhaps it is just something that happened when he was a ghost."

"He changed his eye color to purple? That makes no sense."

"Does it make more sense for him to have had purple eyes if he was full Japanese from the Heian era?"

"Point taken," Hikaru said. Both boys were quiet for a moment before Akira spoke up.

"Shindou?"

"Yeah?"

"In the dream Sai asked me to tell my father the game between them was the highlight of 1,000 years."

"I remember," Hikaru said quietly.

"I have shown the game to my father without telling him who played the game. He has always been good at detecting the player in the go and I think he suspects this is a game played by Sai. May I tell my father about the dream?"

Hikaru thought about that long and hard. His stomach clenched uncomfortably. "If you do, you would have to tell him about Sai."

"Yes," Akira said. "Unless I just said it was a dream of this game and I dreamt that Sai told me to tell him about it."

"Your father wouldn't buy that. He's too smart for that." Hikaru looked nervous.

"Sometimes when I walk by the room I see father sitting in seiza with one black stone on the board. He is waiting for a response he knows logically can't come, but he waits anyway. You know I won't say anything without your permission, but I really think he would accept the story."

"You don't think he'd just think I was some insane teenager?" Hikaru's voice wavered.

"No, I really don't," Akira said firmly. Suddenly Hikaru came to a decision. Sai had said in that dream he wanted Akira to tell his father and that was good enough for Hikaru. If Sai wanted it then it would happen.

"O.k., we'll do it, but I want to be the one to tell him about Sai. You can pass on the message Sai gave you, but I want to tell him the story."

"Thank you," Akira said earnestly. "What days are you free for dinner in the next week or so. I'll ask mother to have you over and we can tell father either before or after dinner."

"Food always works for me," Hikaru said with a grin. He was nervous about the decision but also confident it was the right decision. Whether it went well or not was irrelevant. All Hikaru needed to believe was that Sai truly wanted it this way.

"Let me finish laying out this game so we can discuss it," Akira said. The two boys laid out the stones one at a time and discussed where Yeung-ha had gone wrong. Really he had just been outplayed and outmaneuvered at every level.

"Yes, this was a great game. Sai destroyed Ko and I think Sai played my memory of Ko's style. Hey," Hikaru said suddenly. "If you saw the game and I saw the game, do you suppose Ko really played it?" They looked at each other.

"No," two voices said simultaneously. "That couldn't be."

_. .. ... ... ..

Just some advertising since I don't think people are noticing it. I posted **_Convergence_** about a month ago which tracks a parallel story line of both Hikaru and Akira as they grow up from age 2 to the Hokuto Cup. I hope you enjoy it.


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